All By The Way
by coldfusion9797
Summary: The return of Ahkmenrah to New York City changes Larry's life all over again. Larry/Ahkmenrah with a little Jed/Octavius.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: This is just a little chapter fic I've written to entertain myself. Not sure how good it is, but I've written it, so I may as well post it. It picks up right at the end of Secret of the Tomb. It's a follow on from my other NatM fic, End of an Era, but works as a stand-alone too. This fic is all but written, I won't leave it unfinished. I plan to post a chapter each Monday until it's done. Enjoy :)**

Ahkmenrah danced half the night away, beyond happy to be back with old friends, but now it was time for him to take care of practicalities. He lifted the tablet from the wall, tucked it under his arm, and headed for the front door. A little moonlight to keep the tablet healthy was in order.

Stepping out into the night air, he drew a deep breath, savouring the fresh air as always after his long confinement. And then, as his eyes swept the scene in front of him, his gaze landed on a familiar figure.

Larry Daley was looking back at him from across the street.

A jolt of excitement coursed through the Egyptian. He had missed Larry and been sorry to hear that he was no longer employed at the museum. A bright smile lit up his face at seeing his old friend but troublingly, the smile wasn't returned. Instead of approaching, Larry turned away and headed into the park.

Ahkmenrah could not let him go.

"Larry, wait!"

Dodging between New York traffic, ignoring the angry beeps of horns, he traversed the street and reached the park. For a terrifying second, Larry was nowhere to be seen.

"Larry!" the king called into the darkness.

He waited, heart hammering, until a soft, sullen reply issued from the trees.

"Yeah?" Then Larry materialised in the darkness and Ahkmenrah was rushing towards him, throwing his arms around his old friend.

"It is so good to see you," Ahkmenrah offered. He squeezed Larry tight, but the embrace was not returned.

Puzzled, Ahkmenrah stepped back.

"You are not pleased to see me?" he surmised, studying Larry's face for a sign as to what he was thinking.

"I..."

Ahkmenrah waited with bated breath to hear how that sentence would finish. He was afraid the presumption was correct.

"Um, yeah. Sure. Of course I am."

Ahkmenrah released the breath in relief but Larry's demeanour still troubled him. He reached out and laid a hand on the man's shoulder.

"What is troubling you, my friend?"

"Me? Nothing. I'm fine."

Ahkmenrah did not believe a word of it.

"Come, you think I don't know you better than that? Talk to me."

"I don't think that's a good idea..." The refusal was born of sadness more than anger. If Larry would not talk to him, Ahkmenrah decided that he must talk to someone.

"Come inside with me."

"No, I can't." It was the first answer the former night watchman seemed certain of.

"Shall I fetch someone? Teddy? Jedediah perhaps?"

"No, no," Larry declined. It was most vexing.

"I wish you would tell me what the matter is."

"It's nothing," Larry dismissed. "What are you doing out here anyway?"

"Moonlight," Ahkmenrah explained, holding up the tablet.

"Right," Larry allowed. Then something in him seemed to soften. Perhaps he was remembering their last adventure together. "How have you been, Ahk?"

"Wonderful," Ahkmenrah smiled, spending time with his parents again was a joy.

Larry smiled too, but it was a sad thing, and sensing that, Ahkmenrah's own expression faltered. He couldn't bask in his own happiness when one of his friends was so downcast.

"Though I did miss everyone. That is why I convinced Tilly to suggest a travelling exhibition."

"Seems like you guys are having a great time," Larry said, looking across at the museum where light and music was still flowing.

"We were."

Larry nodded and gave him a tight smile.

"When I said I missed everyone," Ahkmenrah offered. "That included you."

Larry looked up at him, and for the first time that evening Ahkmenrah saw a spark of something flare up in his friend. He wanted to do whatever he could to kindle that spark.

"Everyone has been asking about you."

"Me? Really?"

"Of course Larry," Ahkmenrah assured, hardly able to believe that Larry doubted their regard for him. For Ahkmenrah personally, he owed Larry a great debt for releasing him from the prison of his sarcophagus, and also for restoring the tablet. "Do come inside. I know everyone would love to see you."

Hopefully, being around the others would rally Larry's spirits. Ahkmenrah knew he was close to Teddy and Jed, even Attila and Dexter shared a special understanding with him. Perhaps seeing them again would help.

Larry looked over at the building, then back at Ahkmenrah, who offered him a smile and a nod in encouragement. If he was incapable of raising Larry's spirits, perhaps one of their friends would succeed.

"Well," Larry finally allowed. "As long as none of the board members are there. It's not like I have anywhere else to be."

"Excellent!" Ahkmenrah beamed, before realising how that might sound. "Not that I'm glad you have no plans... I mean... I'm just glad you'll join us. It's good, and..."

"I get it," Larry assured, patting his arm to let him know it was alright. For now, Ahkmenrah ignored the pleasant tingle that small touch produced, in favour of leading Larry back across the street, to the warmth and light of friendship.

xxx

It had been three years since he'd walked up these steps. Taking the fall for McPhee had been the only thing to do. The museum director had done him a solid by organising the London trip, and he certainly didn't want to stay in the job when it involved night after night haunting silent halls. Seeing his friends every night but never being able to speak to them would have been torture.

Ahkmenrah gave him a bright smile before pulling the door open to allow them inside. Larry would've been lying if he said he wasn't still a little bit bitter towards the Egyptian. Irrationally so maybe, but the feeling was still there.

Inside, the entrance hall was packed with hundreds of exhibits, all dancing and laughing, illuminated by the living constellations above them. He had missed the vibrancy of life here so much.

"Lawrence!" Teddy exclaimed, a wide smile on his face as he grabbed Larry's hand in a firm and vigorous handshake. "Wonderful to see you again."

"Hey Teddy," Larry greeted, maybe not as enthusiastically as he should've, but he couldn't pretend that three long, lonely years hadn't taken their toll.

"T'was an honourable thing you did, lad. Shouldering all the blame to allow Dr McPhee to retain his employment."

It wasn't that honourable, he'd planned on leaving anyway, so that was just a way to make it count.

"Um, yeah. Thanks, I guess."

Teddy gave him a scrutinising look, probably unused to Larry being this unconfident since the beginning.

"Gigantor! How you been, boy?!"

"Hey, Jed. Octavius."

"Larry, a pleasure," the Roman replied.

Before they had a chance to say anything else, Laaa spotted him, and raced across the room, wrapping him up in an overly tight hug.

"Okay, buddy," he wheezed, trying to coax the caveman off. "Yeah, it's good to see you too."

Next, Dexter sprang up onto his shoulder next and kissed him, while Attila shouted hunnic greetings.

They were all exactly the same as he remembered them, but then, they hadn't had to endure three years alone. He resented them all a little for that.

"We heard you became a teacher," Sacagawea said proudly. Everyone else's faces reflected that pride, but it wasn't as great as it sounded. He'd barely seen the inside of a classroom, most of his time had been spent in college, learning things he already knew, not yet having a chance to share his love of these historical figures with the next generation. The fulfilment he'd thought it would bring had taken too long to eventuate. He felt lost.

"What do you teach?" They all wanted to know. He didn't want to tell them, it was too pathetic, but he didn't know how to avoid the question either. With this one word they would all know how tragic he really was. But their faces, all so eager to hear...

"History."

The admission was met by a loaded beat of silence, and it was too much. Now they all knew he had spent the last three years unable to let go. He could see the pity in their eyes. Wax and polyurethane models felt sorry for him. And yet, when the tablet came back, not one of them had reached out to him.

"Well, it's getting late," he announced. "Guess I should get going. Exams to study for and all that."

They all protested, asking him to stay, but he just wanted to get out of here. He needed some time to process all this and re-evaluate exactly where the hell his life was going. One thing he was pretty sure about was that he couldn't be pulled back into all this, not just to lose it all over again.

"I'll see you guys later," he fibbed, heading for the exit as quickly as he could.

xxx

"What do you all think?" Ahkmenrah asked the circle of concerned faces surrounding him in the wake of Larry's abrupt departure.

"Woeful," Attila supplied in his native tongue.

"There's something seriously up with, Gigantor," Jed agreed.

"Ahkmenrah, how did you come across him?" Teddy questioned.

"I stepped outside to supply the tablet with some moonlight, and he was there across the road. I don't think he intended anyone to see him."

"It's fortuitous that you did," Octavius observed.

"Why wouldn't he want to see us?" Sacagawea wondered. It was the question on everyone's mind, and not one of them had an illuminating answer.

"This calls for a plan of action," Jed declared.

Ahkmenrah was all for it, whatever it might be, because something needed to be done. Larry was quite obviously miserable.

"What is it that you propose we do?"

**AN: Please excuse any errors or inconsistencies, I'm still learning this story and these characters. Thanks for reading :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: So, I know what I said about posting on Monday's but this is ready, so here it is. Next chapter will be Monday at the latest. Enjoy :)**

What it was that they all proposed was that Ahkmenrah, because he had discovered Larry's plight, and because he had at least convinced him to come say 'hi', was to approach Larry again. The plan was that he would leave the museum, go to Larry's apartment and talk to him. It was quite simple as far as plans went, there was only one problem he could see.

"Where does Larry live?"

"Manhattan!" Jed supplied.

"I think we're already in Manhattan," Ahkmenrah pointed out.

"Bring the apparatus!" Octavius called.

Into the computer he had his soldiers type M-A-N-H-A-T-T-A-N.

"_Manhattan is the most densely populated of New York City's 5 boroughs..._" Ahkmenrah read out loud, feeling more dismay with every word.

"Look here," Teddy said, pointing to the screen. "_Population 1.665 million_."

Jed whistled appreciatively. The number was indeed a very large one.

"We're going to need more precise information regarding his place of residence," Octavius observed.

Sacagawea had remained silent, speaking now to put forth a clever idea.

"Could we check the employee files?"

"An excellent suggestion, my dear!" Teddy beamed, pressing a kiss to her hand. "To the security office!"

Downstairs, they rifled through the filing cabinets, until they came across the folder marked: **Daley, Lawrence**.

"Here it is!" Ahkmenrah called.

"What does it say?" Teddy asked, leaning in for a closer look.

"_Date of birth: November 30 1965..._" Ahkmenrah read out loud, running his eyes over the file. "Here's the address... And a phone number." He looked up at Teddy. "Should we perhaps call him?"

"Granted, it's a quicker and safer solution, but it would also make it easier for Lawrence to avoid talking."

"We could try," Sacagawea suggested. "And if he won't talk, then we could track down his apartment."

"A fair and logical solution," Teddy agreed.

"Well what are ya waiting for, boy?!" Jedediah questioned Ahkmenrah. "There's the phone. Pick it up!"

Looking down at the innocuous communication device on the desk, Ahkmenrah suddenly felt very nervous. Would Larry answer? Would he speak when he learned who was calling? If he was willing to listen, what should Ahkmenrah say?

"Some time tonight would be good," Jed pushed.

Ahkmenrah shared an uncertain look with Teddy.

"It's alright," the former president assured. "We're all anxious to have our Lawrence sorted out."

Ahkmenrah nodded, telling himself that's all the feeling was, and picked up the receiver.

He dialled the number and waited with a belly full of butterflies for Larry to answer the call. Equally anxious faces surrounded him.

"Dr McPhee?" It was Larry's voice.

"No actually. It's Ahkmenrah."

The tension in the room, and through the line, was palpable.

"Oh hey..." Larry trailed off. Ahkmenrah waited for a moment before realising it was up to him to keep this conversation going.

"I wanted to see how are?" He hoped that wouldn't offend Larry, it wasn't meant to imply that he couldn't take care of himself. Perhaps he was overthinking it, and the others gathered tensely around him made him even more nervous.

"I'm okay. Busy with study, I should probably-"

Larry had left last night claiming he needed time to study, was still claiming it now. Ahkmenrah assumed that meant he'd be at home, but he could hear the sound of hooves clopping in the background.

"Where are you, Larry?"

"At home," Larry replied after a moment of hesitation.

"Not Central Park?" Ahkmenrah tested. Why would Larry lie? And why would he be in Central Park unless he wanted to be close to them? It was a difficult and confusing situation. Ahkmenrah didn't want to call Larry a liar, despite evidence to the contrary. Silence stretched between them.

"Hand it over, Pharaoh," Teddy insisted, plucking the receiver from his hand. "Lawrence!"

For a moment anger flared up in Ahkmenrah, but then Sacagawea was urging him to go, and he understood what they were doing. Teddy was going to distract Larry, keep him in place, until Ahkmenrah could get to him. He shared a grin with Attila, Jed and Octavius, hopeful of success, before taking off up the stairs. Together, they could do this.

He was out of breath by the time he finally laid eyes on their old friend, standing on top of the terrace.

"Larry!"

The man turned to him, a mixture of surprise and frustration on his face.

"Okay, Teddy. I gotta go... Yeah. Yeah, Ahk's here..." Larry was silent, whilst presumably Teddy departed with one last piece of wisdom. "Sure, Teddy. Okay. Bye."

Larry stowed the phone in his pocket.

Throughout the whole thing, their gazes never left each other, Larry didn't look too pleased to see him. He didn't exactly look upset either.

"What are you doing here, Ahk?" Larry sighed.

"I could ask you the same thing."

Larry remained silent. It was an unwelcome change from the man he'd once known.

"Don't be angry with us," Ahkmenrah pleaded.

"I'm not angry," Larry said, but the tightness of his voice hinted otherwise.

"You left in such a rush last night. I think you must be. Why else would you choose to avoid us?"

"I'm not. I just... I don't know. It's too hard, I guess. I can't deal with being there. You know?"

No, Ahkmenrah did not know, but pushing Larry to visit the museum last time hadn't worked.

"Then I shall come to you. I could meet you here in the evenings."

Anything to preserve the connection between them for now.

"I wish you wouldn't."

Ahkmenrah was getting frustrated. He wasn't used to having people defy him, he was a king after all. He had always been kind and fair, and he expected the same in return.

"And I wish you wouldn't be so difficult. We're your friends. We're trying to help you!"

"It's a bit late for that!"

Larry turned to leave, but Ahkmenrah could not risk losing him for good. What if he disappeared into the night, spent the day when they lay helpless changing his phone number, relocating to a new apartment, and they never saw him again? It was a terrifying prospect, and a risk the Egyptian could not take. In pure desperation, he reached out and seized Larry's wrist.

"Larry, please. Don't leave me. Don't go."

Even to himself, his voice sounded desperate and pathetic. Larry's eyes moved up to meet his, hard at first but softening the longer they maintained the contact.

"Why do you care?" Larry's question was something between a plea and an accusation, and Ahkmenrah realised he was bitter about being abandoned, but that had never been Ahkmenrah's, or anyone else's, intention.

"We never meant to leave you."

"But you did," Larry said, pulling his hand away. "In London, I tried to tell you all that I wasn't ready, and you went ahead with it anyway. No one listened."

Ahkmenrah could not deny it.

"I'm sorry," he offered instead. "Hurting you was the last thing on our minds."

"I know," Larry bit out. "Guess that's why it was so easy for you to leave us."

It wasn't until this moment that Ahkmenrah understood the full extent of what he'd done. At the time he had been so happy to see his parents, and as well as that he could not have denied them the chance to spend time with him. After all, they had been without the son they cheated death to not be separated from, for a very long time. He'd been certain he meant more to them than anyone else. But now that he could see what the separation had done to Larry, he couldn't be so sure. He knew what it was to be separated from those you cared about, and to have no control over your life. Years locked in his sarcophagus had taught him that. He wanted Larry to know that he understood the pain and the loneliness.

"I was alone for a long time too."

Larry's eyes snapped up to meet his, and in them he saw the realisation that they had, at least in part, suffered the same thing. It was a miserable common ground to share, but a connection nonetheless.

"Don't let your fear keep you in that dark place."

And suddenly Ahkmenrah knew he would do whatever it took to help Larry escape that loneliness, and to keep him from ever going back there.

xxx

How could he trust it? He had walked away once too, but it was different. He had still visited, and they all still had each other. When Ahkmenrah has chosen to stay in London, he'd ripped Larry's whole world out from under him, taken away the first thing Larry had ever been good at, the only thing he'd ever felt satisfied with.

And now, here he was, trying to convince Larry to put his heart on the line again, let them in once more, only to have it all taken away again when the exhibition went back to England.

"I can't..."

"I know what it is to suffer..." Ahk offered. Larry didn't doubt that, he had heard the screams of Ahkmenrah, trapped inside his sarcophagus, night after night. He'd been afraid to let him out, but in the end, it had been his only choice. He hadn't expected to find someone so beautiful and gentle beneath the bandages, but like the rest of them Ahkmenrah had come to mean a lot to him. He had even thought they shared a special bond because of what Larry had done for him.

The young pharaoh was watching him carefully, waiting to see how he would react. Larry still felt so betrayed by this person he had thought cared about him.

"Remember the good times."

Ahk was asking too much. Expecting too much. Larry had never been good at relationships, though he should have been used to dealing with rejection. But this time, it had hurt so much more.

"You took it all away from me!"

The pharaoh blinked slowly, taken aback by the outburst. Larry was a little surprised himself that he still had that much passion left.

"Larry. I never meant..."

"What?" What hadn't he meant? Larry was suffering and had been suffering.

"To hurt you. That was never my intention."

"But you did," Larry stated, covering his face with his hands so Ahk couldn't see the wreck he'd become. He wasn't proud of his inability to deal with this loss and move on. And he couldn't risk it again. He had finally reached some kind of acceptance at least, had a new direction even if it wasn't as good as the last one. The loss didn't ache quite as much as it once had. Hanging out with everyone again was only going to open old wounds. Ahkmenrah was still watching him, waiting for him to give in. But he couldn't. "And you'll do it again. It's a temporary exhibition!"

"We can work something out..."

"How? I lost my job for touching the tablet last time. God, I ruined everything. I've been so, so lonely..." Why couldn't Ahkmenrah understand that and just leave him alone? He was used to it now.

A pained look passed over the Egyptian's face and then he was holding Larry, arms wrapped firmly around him.

"You are not alone now," Ahkmenrah said into his ear.

At first Larry was stiff in the embrace, but slowly his will to resist began to drain away, and he was holding on too. He had missed his friends so much. He could fight it all he wanted, but he needed them. Life could never go back to the way it was before the museum.

"Don't leave me alone again," he whispered against Ahkmenrah's shoulder.

"I won't. I promise," Ahk assured, tightening his grip. Larry wanted to believe it, and he let himself, for now at least. He wanted a break from the solitude, from the gnawing ache in his chest, and the constant stream of negative thoughts. So he let Ahkmenrah hold him, let himself believe his friends still cared. Tomorrow, the sun would rise, and he would have plenty of time to worry about the consequences then.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: I dunno what this is, but it made me laugh. Enjoy :)**

"Now everyone, listen!" Dr McPhee called. "Come on now everyone! Quiet please! Listen. Listen up!"

Eventually the music died down and all attention was on the museum director.

"Okay good. Now, for the duration of the visit from our friends at the British Museum, I've decided to appoint a new night guard."

An excited murmur ran through the room, everyone fully expecting to see Larry step forward.

"Please make him welcome..." Dr McPhee said, starting a round of applause. Everyone joined in, clapping wildly, ecstatic for Larry's return, when the director called another name. "Lancelot!"

The knight stepped forward to the sounds of confused murmurs and dying applause, followed by stunned silence except for one positive comment.

"Oh my, he looks so handsome in that uniform," said Octavius.

"Hey now!" This from Jedediah.

Ahkmenrah wasn't sure what to make of it.

"Thank you, Dr McPhee," Lancelot said, taking the floor. The doctor took a step back, his face not unlike Octavius' at the current moment.

"The doctor has appointed me guardian of this museum from dusk until dawn and I take this quest very seriously..."

Ahkmenrah was bored with the speech already, his only thought was his meeting with Larry. He could not keep him waiting.

"No one is to set foot outside those doors," Lancelot continued. "Is that understood? The sun is far too dangerous. I assure you, you don't want to get caught out there after sunrise."

Well remaining inside was certainly not an option. There was no way he could leave Larry out there alone.

Ahkmenrah shared a concerned look with Teddy, both of them thinking of Larry's wellbeing.

After Lancelot had finished his long and overstuffed speech, Ahkmenrah approached him. He planned to be reasonable, and surely a knight was bound to concede to a king.

"Might I have a word, Lancelot?"

"Certainly," the knight allowed.

"As you know, the tablet which is responsible for breathing life in to us all..." Ahkmenrah thought it important to include that reminder. "Requires moonlight to recharge it's power. Consequently, I need access to the outdoors to fulfil that requirement."

Ahkmenrah had tried to phrase it as reasonably as possible, but as expected, the new night guard saw the request as a challenge to his authority.

"It's out of the question. The tablet was fine for decades with no moonlight, I'm sure you don't need to go every night. A decade or two indoors shouldn't do it any harm."

"You're probably right," Ahkmenrah submitted, joining the gathering of Larry's friends again. Ahkmenrah could have perhaps tried to explain the truth, that Larry needed him and could not come to the museum, but Lancelot didn't know Larry like the rest of them did, there was no reason that would hold any sway with him.

"Help me out guys," he appealed to Larry's true friends.

They all knew what to do.

Attila caused a distraction, allowing Dexter to swipe Lancelot's keys and the chase was on. Ahkmenrah slipped away unnoticed.

Though Larry would not come to the museum, he had at least agreed to meet Ahkmenrah in the park again.

They met at the 77th Street gate. When Ahkmenrah saw Larry standing there waiting for him, his spirits lifted, as they always did when he was in the company of the American.

"Good evening, Larry," he greeted with a smile, still amused by the sight of the Englishman in hot pursuit of the crafty capuchin thief.

"Hey Ahk," Larry returned, smiling too, albeit not as brightly but it was a start.

They fell into step beside each other and headed into the park.

"There's a new night guard at the museum," Ahkmenrah grinned. "You'll never guess who."

Larry didn't seem overly happy to hear about his replacement, but Ahkmenrah knew he had no cause to be concerned. Even if the replacement had been human, no one could ever take Larry's place in his regard.

"Tilly?"

"No, she was due back in London. McPhee has appointed Lancelot! Can you believe it?"

Larry arched a brow.

"No, not really."

"He's keen, I'll give him that, but as for his diplomacy... I dread to think."

Larry had nothing else to say on the matter. Ahkmenrah thought perhaps it was time to stop dwelling on the past, and on the museum, and to move forward.

"I've never had the chance to explore the park at leisure. What shall we do?"

It was exciting to him already. Egypt was hot and brown, but this place was lush and green. For a moment he wished he could see it in the sunlight, but that would never be possible, so he let the thought go, and resolved to make the most of what he did have.

As they had been walking, they'd passed a few people, all of them giving him funny looks. Ahkmenrah wasn't entirely sure what to make of it. The next girl they passed actually stopped.

"Oh my God, I love your costume. Where'd you get it?"

"It was custom made in Memphis," he proudly informed her.

"Are you from Tennessee?"

He did not know where that was.

"You can tell he's an out-of-towner, right?" Larry said, bidding the girl farewell and steering Ahkmenrah away.

"Well first," Larry said, referring back to the earlier question. "I think we need to get you some new threads."

"What's wrong with my clothes? She loved them."

"Nothing... If we were in ancient Egypt."

"Oh," Ahkmenrah said, assessing Larry's far more subdued attire. "I do rather stand out, don't I?"

"Just a little," Larry allowed, giving him a friendly pat on the shoulder.

"So, what do you suggest?"

"59th Street, I guess."

xxx

Ahk was like a kid in a candy store. He loved the colours and the fabrics and the tailoring. Bloomingdales was a revelation to him.

Larry had made a mint when he sold his company. But being rich hadn't brought him much joy. Sharing it with Ahk though, seeing the way his face lit up as he scoured the racks for the perfect thing, well that meant something, and Larry found himself smiling genuinely for the first time in ages.

"This one!" Ahk declared, plucking a colourful print shirt off the rack.

"Umm, we were kinda going for low key here."

"But Larry! It's fabulous!"

"Okay," Larry allowed, amused that anyone could find a shirt so thrilling. "I guess you can try it on."

"Now?" Ahk asked excitedly.

"Let's look for some pants first."

Larry was thinking something pastel, scanning through the grey, bone and tan options. Beside him, Ahkmenrah searched too, finding the only outrageous thing on the rack. The pants were grey, but they were checked.

"These!"

"You don't think it will be a bit much with the shirt."

"There's no such thing as too much." This coming from a guy who draped himself in gold and gemstones was probably to be expected.

"Maybe try something without a pattern too," Larry suggested.

"Very well," Ahk agreed, wandering off and coming back with the brightest pants Larry had ever seen.

"What exactly would you call that colour?" Larry wondered.

"Indigo, I believe," the Egyptian said, proudly holding up his prize.

"Alright," Larry allowed. "Let's see how it all looks."

Ahkmenrah removed his headdress and then went for his collar, obviously planning on stripping right here in the middle of the store.

Larry grabbed his arm to stop him.

"How about we find a change room first?"

Ahk consented, and after a small battle, he was stepping out of the cubicle to show off his new look.

The navy Sandro leaf print shirt with turquoise and gold detail, was actually very Ahk. It was like a modern representation of the colours he usually wore. The checked trousers, maybe not.

"I don't know about these," Ahk complained, pulling at the leg of the pants. "They're very restrictive."

Larry suppressed the urge to laugh.

"Try the other ones," he suggested instead.

Ahk took the advice, and after another long wait which had Larry beginning to wonder if Ahk needed some serious help, the Egyptian stepped out for him to see.

"What do you think?" he grinned, showing off the outfit. Being a pharaoh, no doubt Ahk was used to looking good, and knowing that he looked good.

"Perfect," Larry answered truthfully. He would never have tried those clothes himself, but Ahk pulled the look off effortlessly.

Ahk gave him a softer smile.

"I'm glad you think so."

Next, they needed somewhere to stow his headdress, robes and jewellery. They found a stylish brown leather backpack, which would also be good for Ahk to carry the tablet around in on those nights when he brought it out to supply it with moonlight.

For his feet, Ahk insisted on polka dot socks, and Larry helped him choose some appropriate shoes if they planned on doing a lot of walking.

Larry dropped the tags on the counter and paid for everything on his credit card. Ahk didn't need to know they'd just spent a small fortune on kitting him out for the modern world.

Outside, a cool spring breeze had whipped up. The outfit they'd chosen didn't look particularly warm, but then that probably didn't matter to a guy who went through life with a bare midriff.

"Thank you very much, Larry," Ahk said as they headed along Madison Avenue back towards 79th Street. People were noticing Ahk for a different reason now, and Larry felt a sudden stab of jealousy. But that was stupid, they were only looking, and that was understandable. Ahk, with his golden skin, brown curls uncovered, and fashionably outrageous style choices on display, was attractive. And by definition that meant people couldn't help but look.

"Oh, yeah, sure. Any time."

That earned him another of Ahk's infectious smiles, and Larry was quickly discovering that those were worth far more than any amount he could've forked out for the clothes.

**AN: Ahk's fashion choices were inspired by Rami, who always looks super stylish, whatever outrageous choices he makes. The man is a fashion icon.**


	4. Chapter 4

It became a pattern. Each night the others would come up with some ingenious way to distract Lancelot, and Ahkmenrah would slip away unnoticed. At first the others hadn't understood, but Ahkmenrah had assured them that he was working on it, that given time Larry would come around and come back to the museum. He believed that, but a tiny part of him too, liked having Larry all to himself.

Most nights they strolled around the park, finding a new place to sit. Ahkmenrah didn't mind where, the most important thing was that Larry was there.

It was true that Larry was slowly coming around, each night saw him a little more relaxed, a little more willing to share a joke, a little more the man that Ahkmenrah remembered from the night program days.

They walked by Bow Bridge, a place often frequented by couples. This evening as they passed a boy dropped down on one knee. Ahkmenrah stopped, watching curiously.

"What is he doing?"

Larry gave him a little smile.

"I guess men in ancient Egypt didn't propose like that, huh?"

"Propose what?"

This time it was a frown of disbelief.

"Marriage," Larry supplied.

"Oh, I see," Ahkmenrah realised. The girl was nodding, and the boy was standing up, then he was kissing her.

"Guess, she said yes," Larry said.

"You have some strange customs," Ahkmenrah observed.

"Well how was it done in Egypt?"

Ahkmenrah was sure it was intended as an innocent question, but the answer he had to give made him blush.

"What?" Larry wondered, apparently even more intrigued now. There was no avoiding it.

"Mostly it was arranged by families, but if you liked someone, you'd have sex with them. If you decided to live together, that person became your spouse."

"That's it?"

"What else would there be?"

"A wedding?"

Ahkmenrah did not understand.

"Is sex not a wedding?"

Larry barked out a laugh.

"Not in modern society."

Ahkmenrah was still lost.

"Umm," Larry said, picking up on his confusion. "That would come after the wedding, technically, I guess. Well it used to. Anyway... There's a ceremony first, people get dressed up, exchange vows and rings. Promise to love, honour and all that stuff until death do they part. Then there's cake and dancing and speeches."

"It all sounds very complicated."

"I guess it can be," Larry allowed, becoming pensive for a moment.

"You have a son. You were married once..."

"For a brief moment, yeah."

"What happened? Did your wife die?"

"What? No."

"That's right," Ahkmenrah remembered. "The custody agreement..."

"Yeah. You don't really want to talk about this, do you?"

Larry obviously didn't.

"Not if you don't want to. But I do like getting to know you better, learning new things about you..."

The young couple were walking towards them, arms around each other, smiling widely.

"Congratulations," Larry offered.

"Thank you," the girl beamed, gazing loving up at her intended.

Ahkmenrah felt he should say something to the happy couple too.

"May your marriage not end in a custody agreement." That seemed like an honourable sentiment, but judging by the looks on their faces, they didn't agree. They rushed off without another word.

"I think you just ruined one of the happiest moments of their lives," Larry smirked.

"I meant to wish them well."

"I know you did," Larry agreed, dropping a hand on his shoulder in a show of solidarity.

Ahkmenrah liked the contact, and for a moment wished that he and Larry could be closer like the young couple, with their arms around each other.

xxx

A while later their wandering lead them to the eastern side of the park, up past 79th Street.

Ahk stopped so abruptly in his tracks that Larry was a few paces ahead of the Egyptian before he realised.

"What?" Larry said, doubling back to find an awestruck look on his friend's face. Following Ahk's gaze, Larry saw the towering obelisk in front of them. It was Cleopatra's needle. "Oh..."

"It is Egyptian..." Ahkmenrah breathed.

"Well yeah. Back in the 1800's it was shipped over here. Unlike a lot of treasures that left Egypt, it was a gift. Does it say anything interesting?"

Ahkmenrah looked at him, maybe a little surprised by his knowledge, but he had worked at the museum for a long time and spent the last three years studying history.

"It is from after my time. It tells of military victories."

It was moments like these that put things in perspective. A three and a half thousand-year-old obelisk was younger than Ahkmenrah. It must be so strange for him to have emerged into twenty-first century New York. Larry once thought he'd had his world ripped out from under him, but it was nothing compared to what Ahk's family had done to him. His parents in forging the tablet. And his brother for... Well that was too awful.

"What is it, Larry?"

"Nothing," Larry said, shaking himself out of the thought.

Ahkmenrah stepped closer, studying his face carefully.

"A shadow passed over you just now."

He couldn't deny it, but he didn't want to bring that up.

"I was thinking of you, and how hard it must be to have left behind everything you knew, and then woken up here where everything is so different."

"Different, yes," Ahk agreed, brushing a hand over Larry's arm, looking into his eyes. "But not so bad."

For a second, Larry felt some pull between them, but brushed it off and put it down to his imagination, because it made no sense at all.

"That's the Met," he said instead, pointing to the large building to the right. "It's one of the biggest art museums in the world. It holds over two million works."

"A museum?"

"Yeah. They have like twenty-seven thousand Egyptian artworks. The Temple of Dendur. They packed up eight-hundred tons of stone and relocated the whole thing over here in the sixties. Another gift, it was going to be flooded by a dam otherwise. We can go see it one night if you want."

Ahk looked amazed.

"You'd go to a museum?"

Larry faltered for a second, but soon pulled himself together, drawing strength from having Ahk by his side.

"I'd go to that one. For you."

It would be uncomfortable, but the dazzling smile Ahk sent back at him made it all worthwhile.

"I should like that very much."

"Okay then, it's a date."


	5. Chapter 5

It was Saturday, the Met closed at 9 p.m. and Lancelot had been particularly vigilant tonight.

"Come on, we have to hurry," Larry said, grabbing his hand and running. If they missed the Met tonight it would be six more days before they could visit again. Ahkmenrah wouldn't have minded, it would all be time spent with Larry, but Larry had his mind set on it, so that's why they were racing across the park.

They only made it as far as the south lawn. It was here that Ahkmenrah lost his footing and they both ending up tumbling to the ground. He blamed it on these modern shoes, they didn't strap on like good old-fashioned sandals did.

He wasn't hurt, embarrassed a little maybe, crawling across the grass to check that Larry was alright. Larry lay on his back, gazing up at the night sky, chest heaving.

"Are you alright?" Ahkmenrah enquired.

"I think so," Larry groaned. He shifted to get up, but Ahkmenrah stayed him with a hand upon his chest.

"Give it a moment..."

With the firm touch, Larry's eyes snapped up to meet his, and Ahkmenrah could feel the other man's heart racing beneath his hand. They had been running, but...

Larry was looking at him differently, like he was trying to figure something out. It suddenly occurred to Ahkmenrah that there was a sure-fire way to remove any confusion. He had been thinking about this, wanting to do it, so he leaned down and brushed his lips against Larry's. Beneath him, Larry froze, and Ahkmenrah drew back to see if the damage was irreparable.

Larry was staring at him wide-eyed.

"I'm sorry, I just..." What did he just? What exactly was he trying to say here? Was he apologising? Or was he making a case? The reward was one to be fought for. He searched Larry's face, seeking a clue as to what his next move should be, but all he could think was that he didn't want to lose this person. He wanted to be as close to him as he could be. Not just physically, but in every way. "Tell me if it's unwelcome, but I feel a great deal for you Larry, and if you will allow it, I'd like to-" He was going to say, 'kiss you again', but Larry beat him to it, pulling him down into a deep kiss. He had never kissed with tongues before, and it felt good, especially knowing it was Larry that wanted this from him. He surrendered to it entirely, letting the world fall away, so there was nothing left but the two of them, and this fire between them.

xxx

The night had taken an unexpected turn. He wasn't complaining, definitely not complaining, but he didn't know how realistic this was. There were so many reasons it could never work.

They were still on the grass, sitting side by side.

"What's wrong?" Ahk asked.

"Where do you want me to start?"

"Don't you want me?"

"That's the one part of this that isn't a problem. You're great, you know that. Honest, fun, beautiful."

Ahkmenrah actually blushed. It was another reason to adore him, and also a reminder that Larry needed to ask some important questions. Starting with age. The textbooks always referred to him as a 'teenage king'. Larry himself was the wrong side of fifty. God, he sounded really old when he thought about it like that.

"How old are you?"

"Four thousand years."

"No. I mean how old were you. When you... You know..."

"Died?"

"Yeah that..."

"Eighteen."

That didn't just sound incredibly young, it_ was_ incredibly young. Nicky was twenty-one already.

But then, Ahk had a lot of life experience. Ancient Egypt, Cambridge University, the museums both here and in London.

"I'm not sure which of us that makes older."

Ahk gave him a soft smile, sliding his hand over Larry's in the grass.

"Does it matter?"

Did it? Technically he was over the age of consent, and it wasn't like they were ever gonna go public with their relationship if that was what this turned out to be. 'Hey everyone, this is my boyfriend, he's a four-millennium old mummy.' Larry guessed it didn't, and it wasn't like there was a rulebook for dating reanimated ancient Egyptian pharaohs that said certain age gaps weren't allowed.

Man, what had his life become? The night guard work was weird enough, but this...?

"What?" Ahk wondered, smile quirking up into something more amused.

Larry scrubbed a hand over his face.

"Is this crazy? It is, isn't it? What are we doing?"

Something flashed across Ahk's face, but he buried it. Larry wanted to ask what the thought was, but he didn't. He waited for Ahk to gather his thoughts and speak. The last thing he wanted to do was force anything.

"I can only speak for myself," Ahk said eventually, in his slow and careful way, big eyes fixed on Larry intently. "But I think I'm falling in love."

Larry had never been in love, and he had also never felt the way he did with Ahk before. So, was that what this was? This feeling of simultaneous calmness and upheaval, of unbelievable joy and healthy fear, that the Egyptian gave, and caused in, him? Something like standing on the edge of a cliff, with an awe-inspiring view and a long way to fall. And deep down, the knowledge that this thing between them really _mattered_.

"Me too, I think..." he softly admitted, and he had never seen a brighter smile on Ahk's face. "Thank you for coming back."

The statement seemed to catch Ahk off guard for a second, but then he was moving, wrapping his arms around Larry tight.

"If I'd know how much I would miss you, I never could have left to begin with."

It was as though the words lifted a weight from Larry, and he realised now just how much he'd needed to hear them. He held Ahk tight too.

"I won't do it again," Ahk vowed. "I promise to stay with you."

It was a nice thought, but in the end, he might not have a choice. The British Museum was expecting him back eventually. But Larry didn't voice it, all he did was hold on tighter. Inevitably, his heart was going to break again, but it was too late to stop it now. Now, all he could do was make the most of this while it lasted, and that meant spending every second together that they could.

**AN: How are everyone's teeth doing? Anyone need a trip to the dentist yet? :P**


	6. Chapter 6

Ahkmenrah couldn't remember being in a better mood. Heading into the park to meet Larry, he felt incredibly happy.

"Let's leave the park tonight," he suggested, ready for a new adventure.

"Where do you want to go?"

"I thought you might have some ideas."

Larry thought for a moment, before giving him a smile and talking his hand.

"I know the place. You don't have the tablet on you?"

He did have his backpack, but he had left the tablet at the museum tonight.

"No."

"Okay good. We couldn't get to where we're going with it."

They walked south through the city, through crowds of people and along quieter blocks, surrounded by sparkling city lights.

Larry led him through the towering skyscrapers of Manhattan to 34th Street. They both turned their faces up to see the Empire State Building stretching high above them.

"Wanna go to the top?" Larry asked.

"Yes," Ahkmenrah smiled, it sounded very exciting.

They passed through security check points which scanned for metal. That explained why Larry had asked about the tablet.

They rode lifts to climb higher.

"Something like this would've been handy inside the Great Pyramid," Ahkmenrah commented. Larry just laughed, and it was nice to see.

The view from the top was spectacular. The countless lights of New York City spread out before them. He'd never seen anything quite like it. Sometimes he missed the sun, but he couldn't really imagine New York looking any better than this in the daylight.

"It's beautiful..." he breathed.

"Yeah," Larry agreed softly. "It is." But Ahkmenrah had a feeling he wasn't looking at the cityscape.

"Look there," Ahkmenrah said, pointing north towards the dark blanket of Central Park, lamp-lined paths snaking through the trees. He had so many good memories from there now. "It's our park."

xxx

Gazing at the gorgeous, young pharaoh, just actually being here with Ahkmenrah, Larry felt content for the first time in a long time. It was different to any feeling he'd ever had, and he realised he'd never had anyone to share things with before, not really. His ex-wife had never been interested in listening, and even with Nicky it was always about trying to impress him and win his approval. Maybe in part that's what the teaching thing had been about, a need to connect and share, but this, seeing the way Ahk turned to him, joy shining in his eyes because of something Larry had given him, not objects, but time, experience and wonder, well it filled the hole in his chest in an incomparable way.

He stepped behind Ahk, and wrapped his arms around him, so they could be close and both still enjoy the view. When he felt Ahk relax against him, it only heightened the feeling, that he had someone to just _be_ with.

"Doesn't get much better than this, huh?" he said softly, pressing a kiss to Ahk's cheek.

But then Ahk was turning in the circle of his arms, touching a hand to Larry's jaw, looking into his eyes.

"Oh," he smiled, wide and beautiful. "I think it might." Then they were kissing, and it turned out Ahk was right.

xxx

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and Ahkmenrah had left Larry by the 77th Street gate with a kiss and a promise to see him again tomorrow. No matter how in love they were, the sun would always rise.

He headed back into the museum, with just enough time left before dawn. He was crossing the entrance hall, awash in contentment and happiness, when Jed addressed him.

"How was your night?" the cowboy asked.

"Wonderful..." Ahkmenrah sighed, drifting off towards his sarcophagus, high on life and love. He planned to replay the whole evening over in his mind again before dawn. This feeling was something he never wanted to forget.

xxx

"Well now, what was that all about?" Jed wanted to know. Truth be told, he had a feeling something was off. The pharaoh had been out with Larry every night for weeks now, and there was still no sign that Larry was any closer to setting foot in the museum again.

"Oh darling, can't you tell?" Octavius swooned, apparently gone as batty as old Ahk.

"No, I dang well can't."

"Of course you can't," Octavius said, leaning on his shoulder and popping a smooch on his cheek. "You're so macho."

"What has that got to do with anything?" Jed demanded, turning to frown at Octavius who was being deliberately galling if anyone asked him, which they didn't.

Octavius took the opportunity to smooch him again, this time on the lips.

"Why, he's in love."

"In love?" That was ridiculous. What did a dead kid pharaoh want with love? He should have been focused on Larry.

"It does happen, my love."

Point taken. Falling for Octavius was the last thing he had ever thought would happen to him.

"With who then?"

"One guess, darling..." Octavius was smiling knowingly and it clicked. No... They couldn't...

"_Gigantor..._"

"I'd bet my sword on it."

"Whoa, this is... I mean it's... He hasn't been trying at all!" Jedediah realised. This whole time Ahkmenrah had just been sneaking off for some canoodling, with no intention of bringing Larry back home.

Jed drew his pistol.

"I'm gonna teach that pile of bandages a lesson!"

Octavius stayed him with a hand on his wrist and encouraged him to lower his gun.

"Perhaps we should let someone with a little more tact handle it?"

Jed wasn't in the mood for a discussion, he was in the mood for some butt-whooping, but maybe Octavius was right, maybe Teddy or Sacagawea was better for it if they wanted results.

"Fine," he relented. Octavius sure was lucky that Jed really did love him.

"We'll get it sorted, my love. I promise."

"Yeah..." Jed grumbled, really hoping that they would, because this place just wasn't the same without Gigantor's stupid face around.


	7. Chapter 7

"Ahkmenrah! How goes things with Lawrence?" Teddy questioned him as soon as the sun had set.

He wasn't exactly sure how to answer that, he didn't want to lie, but he didn't want to jinx anything either.

"I believe he's getting better," he offered. That was true.

"And when will we see him?"

They hadn't actually discussed it, enchanted as they were with a blossoming romance.

"I can't say yet..." Another truth. That at least was something to be proud of.

"Do you require assistance? Would you like someone else to try? We all know Lawrence can take some convincing."

Selfishly, shamefully so, that was the last thing he wanted.

"No, no. Thank you for the offer, Teddy. I can handle it."

Teddy gave him a thoughtful look.

"Is there anything you'd like to share with us, lad? Nothing's wrong?"

"No, everything is fine," Ahkmenrah insisted, grabbing his pack to leave. That was true too, for now. But what if changing their routine, changed their relationship? What if Larry didn't want to return, and decided to walk away from them all? Himself included. Ahkmenrah wasn't ready for that. Would never be ready for that.

He needed to get out of here, get to Larry as quickly as possible. They had to figure out what they were going to do.

xxx

When they met that night, Ahk wasn't his usual self. He looked preoccupied, maybe even worried.

"Hey. What's wrong?" It wasn't until after he asked that he wondered if the pharaoh was having regrets. Larry's heart gave a violent thud.

"The others have been asking about you. They all want you to come see them. They think I've been out here every night trying to convince you."

"Oh..." Larry wasn't sure what to do, or what to think. He wasn't lonely like he had been, and he wasn't mad anymore. But what he and Ahk had felt fragile, and he didn't want the dream to end. He could see the same uncertainties were playing on Ahk's mind too. Maybe it was already ending without either of them having a say in it.

"Take me somewhere," Ahk said suddenly.

"Sure," Larry agreed. Avoidance sounded good to him too. "Where?"

"Somewhere away from the rest of the world."

"Okay," Larry nodded.

Ten minutes later he was turning the key to his apartment.

"Come in."

Ahk stepped inside.

It was so strange to see him in the place he lived. The museum, even Ahk since his return, all seemed like a fantasy sometimes, but this place was real life and Ahk was standing right in the middle of it now. Larry didn't know whether that meant he was losing his grip on reality, or whether he was just super lucky to have met someone so incredible, against impossible odds.

"This is where you live," Ahk stated, looking around.

"Yeah."

"It's close to the museum."

It was as sad as it sounded, he'd taken this place for that reason.

"Well," he shrugged. "It's between the museum and Columbia where I go to school."

"School?"

"Teacher's college."

"What can they teach you about history that we couldn't?"

"Well it's not just history, it's teaching. So they teach me how to teach, I guess..."

"Are you a good teacher?"

"I don't know yet, I haven't graduated. I hope I will be."

Ahk stepped closer, something clearly on his mind.

"Shall we find out?"

The implication was obvious.

"Oh my God," Larry grinned. "That is the corniest come on line ever."

"I like corn..."

"Probably best you stop talking now," Larry advised, closing the distance between them and pulling Ahk into a kiss. They'd never really had time to explore this side of their relationship, but Larry planned to do that now.

With their mouths still pressed together, Larry unbuttoned Ahk's shirt, slipping it off to reveal the golden expanse of his torso. It wasn't like he hadn't seen Ahk's abs before, but now he could touch, and that was different. Running his hand over the smooth skin and firm muscle he was able to appreciate Ahk in a whole new way.

"Larry," Ahk breathed into his mouth. "I want more."

"Uh-huh," Larry nodded, guiding Ahk towards the bedroom, mouths still locked together. It was hot and needy, and Larry had never wanted anyone more.

They hit the bed and fell back onto it, Ahk lying beneath him.

Quickly, Larry sat up enough to pull off his own shirt off, then they were kissing again, Ahk pulling Larry down tightly against him.

He wanted Ahk, so, so much but he didn't want to rush things either.

He broke the kiss.

"Hang on..."

"Is something wrong?" Ahk frowned. "Did I do the wrong thing?"

"No, no," Larry assured, cupping Ahk's face in his hands, he was so young and innocent. "I just... This is a big deal and I don't wanna mess it up. I don't want to rush."

Ahk smiled up at him.

"What a sweet thing to say..."

Larry could have brushed it off and been embarrassed, or he could commit to this. He dabbed a kiss to Ahk's lips and looked into his eyes.

"I love you, Ahk. I wanna do this right."

Ahk gave him one of those wide smiles and laid a hand over his heart, an echo of the action that had sparked their first kiss.

"I love you too, Larry. And I don't think there's anything you could do that I wouldn't approve of."

Then they were kissing again, slower, deeper, more aware of each touch, and what it all meant.

It was that feeling again, that this mattered. That he was exactly where he was supposed to be.

"Make love to me..." Ahk breathed.

Larry had never done this with a man before, but he was a scholar these days, and he had studied, just in case.

He looked down at Ahk, smiling, certain that this was what he wanted now and forever.

"Is that a proposal?"

Ahk pulled him down and whispered his reply against Larry's lips.

"I shall let you know..."

xxx

He had never felt like this before, so satisfied and so alive, and he had never thought about falling asleep in anyone's arms. Right now however, it seemed like the very thing.

"Don't fall asleep," Larry murmured, pressing a kiss to Ahkmenrah's shoulder, despite sounding on the verge of it himself. "You'll turn to dust..."

He turned his head, lips meeting Larry's.

"I'm different to the others," he murmured. "It's my tablet, it's power will extend to protect me."

"Promise that's not afterglow talking?"

"I promise," Ahkmenrah said, pressing his lips to Larry's again. "I would never do anything to risk us."

"And this isn't you trying to trick me into an Egyptian marriage?"

"No, Larry," he laughed. "I'm confident I would not have to resort to such methods."

Larry snuggled in behind him, seemingly satisfied with the answers, sighing into Ahkmenrah's hair.

"You know what? I think you might be right..."

xxx

The sun was peeking in the window when Larry woke, but he wasn't ready to get up. It was a good thing he'd had block out blinds installed when he was doing night work. The clock by his bed showed 11:18 a.m. He was aware that someone was in bed with him, and he rolled over, expecting to see a beautiful, young pharaoh sleeping beside him. Instead, he was faced with a dusty corpse.

"Ahh!" he yelled, springing back, falling unceremoniously out of bed.

Sitting up, peering over the edge, heart thumping, he took a deep breath to calm himself. Of course, he knew the tablet's magic only worked at night. As soon as the sun went down, he would have Ahk back. Still, until then...

Gingerly, he reached out, briefly wondering if what he was doing could be considered necrophilia, Ahk had been dead for 4000 years after all. But no, the radiant young king was full of life, and what they did, what they had, it wasn't wrong.

He pulled the sheet up to cover Ahkmenrah's body, the silhouette of his face more recognisable like that. Slowly, carefully, he leaned down and brushed his lips against the white cotton, over the place where Ahk's lips should be. _Just make it through the day_, he told himself, _and he'll be yours again_.

**AN: So yeah, that was a fade to black. I think it fit better with the tone of this fic. Thanks for reading :)**


	8. Chapter 8

Ahkmenrah didn't come back. Every night he went out, they were all used to that, but every morning he returned. Except this time, he hadn't.

Teddy tried not to fear the worst.

"I'm going to get fired!" Lancelot panicked, as though he was legitimately employed and had actual bills to pay.

"What if he turned to dust?" Attila said in hunnic. Laaa looked scared. Admittedly, it was a frightful thought.

"Perhaps Larry knows where he is?" Octavius suggested.

"Yeah," Jedediah agreed. "They have been spending an awful lot of time together."

"Very well," Teddy decided, seizing the tablet for safe keeping. "We shall go to Lawrence's apartment and get to the bottom of this."

"Follow me," Sacagawea offered. They all trusted her to find the way.

xxx

Larry had been waiting all day for the sun to set. Waiting for Ahk to come back to life, but long after dark he still hadn't woken. Larry was starting to get really worried and had just resolved to go to the museum to maybe sort something out, when there was a brusque knock at the door. He pulled it open to find Teddy, Sacagawea, Attila and Laaa.

"What the...?"

"That's what we wanna know," Jed demanded, popping up out of Attila's hat. Octavius was with him too.

"Oh my God, you guys. Get in here," he said, ushering them inside, quickly checking that the hallway was clear before he closed door. "What are you all doing here?"

"Ahkmenrah didn't return last night," Teddy supplied. "We were hoping you might know where he is."

"Yeah, I know where he is. He's here. The sun came up and he couldn't get back."

Before Larry could say anything else, Ahk came wandering out of the bedroom, drowsy and a little tousled. Larry was so relieved.

"Ahk," he said, running his hands over the young pharaoh to assure himself everything was alright. "You're okay."

"I'd say more than okay," Ahk smirked, leaning in and kissing him.

"You didn't wake up at sunset..."

"The tablet is a little further away than I'm accustomed to. That's all."

"It's right here," Teddy said, holding it up, and judging by the astonished look on Ahk's face that was the first he realised that they weren't alone.

Peering around Larry, he saw them all.

"We were worried about you," Sacagawea offered. "You didn't come home last night."

Larry and Ahk shared a look, both remembering the incredible reason for that. Neither of them could help smiling.

"Someone better start making some explanations real quick here," Jed demanded.

"I think he's right, Lawrence. We were all very concerned for Ahkmenrah, as we have been for you for weeks now. Why didn't you feel you could come to us?"

Maybe Teddy was right, maybe it was wrong to have avoided them all this long, but on the other hand he couldn't regret the time he'd been spending with Ahk.

"We were just in the bubble," he offered.

"Bubble? What bubble?"

"You know..." Larry said, making a vague circular motion with his hands. "_The bubble..._"

"You're not making any sense. Say what you mean, Lawrence." It had been a while since Teddy had called him on his bullshit, and he realised he kind of missed it. Teddy made him better.

Larry took Ahk's hand.

"It's like, you know that feeling when you first fall in love?"

"Ha!" Octavius exclaimed. "I told you so!"

"Yeah, yeah," Jed grumbled. "Let Gigantor finish."

Larry had never known Jed to be so considerate, his timing sucked.

"Like when everything's great," he continued. "And you're terrified that at any time something is going to come along and burst it? That you'll lose that feeling, and you won't have this thing that makes you unbelievably happy anymore?"

He gave Ahk's hand a squeeze.

"Why would you think we'd take that from you?" Octavius wondered.

"No, I didn't think you'd try to. It's just, it was so good, and I didn't want things to change."

"They're not going to change, Larry," Ahk assured, giving him a soft smile.

"Ahkmenrah is right, Lawrence," Teddy agreed. "You're our friend and we miss you. We know about all that messy business of the fallout from London. But no one comes to the museum at night anymore, it'll be like old times."

"Mostly," Ahk amended, referring to the change in their relationship status, which of course only made things better.

All of them, Ahk included, were looking at him so hopefully, there was no way he could refuse.

"Alright," he allowed. "Let's go."

Every single one of their faces lit up with a shining smile, and Larry found he couldn't help returning them with one of his own.

xxx

Most nights after that they met at the museum, spending time with everyone first before heading into the park, to supply the tablet with moonlight of course. And sometimes the moonlight was brightest at Larry's apartment.

Some nights they stayed at the museum all night, in the Hall of Miniatures, or playing fetch with Rexy, or in Ahkmenrah's own exhibit.

That's where they were tonight, and surrounded by gold and hieroglyphs, he couldn't help but think of home. Truthfully, it had been playing on his mind ever since they'd come across the obelisk in the park.

"Have you ever been to Egypt?" Ahkmenrah asked, tracing his finger around the serekh of his name. These stone walls were from his tomb, but Egypt was so much more than its resting places for the dead.

It was bright and vibrant and cultured. It was a place that thrived in the sun.

Larry shook his head.

"Unimaginable colours, Larry. The sparkling river, lined with green reeds and papyrus plants, all surrounded by golden crops swaying in the breeze. Gold is everywhere. In sculpture and jewellery, whole buildings decorated in it, and stories told with paint, white and ochre and azure. I should like to see it once more..." Not that he could ever see it by the light of day again...

He turned to Larry, whom he'd only met because of the power of the tablet, thinking that the price was worth it.

"We should go," Larry offered.

"What?" It seemed an impossible dream.

"Me and you. We could take the tablet and go to Egypt. I'd like to do that. With you. One day. Maybe we could..."

Ahkmenrah was overwhelmed with gratitude and love.

He closed the distance between them, reached up and touched Larry's cheek, looking into his eyes.

"I should very much like that too."

He leaned in and emphasized his words with a kiss.

It was a fairy-tale, one that wouldn't come true, but the idea was nice, and they still had a little while left to dream. He wasn't due back in London for a while yet.

Larry pulled him closer and Ahkmenrah sighed into his mouth. Right now he decided, none of it mattered, not the absence of sun, missing his homeland, or that one day not too far away he would have to leave again, because for now, like this, it felt like his all dreams had come true already.


	9. Chapter 9

It was Tilly who broke the news, calling him from London like she did sometimes because she was bored without the tablet and to see how Laaa was doing.

"Ahkmenrah isn't coming back to London," she told him. For a second Larry's heart raced excitedly. Had they decided to permanently house him in New York again? "The board have decided to send him on a world tour. Makes him sound like a rock star, doesn't it?"

"Umm, yeah," Larry replied, secretly devastated by the news. "For how long?"

"His tomb was one of the most intact ever found, so they want him to visit like a dozen cities or so."

That many? Exhibitions ran for months, that meant Ahk would be gone for years.

He swallowed nervously, mentally steeling himself for the bad news.

"How long exactly?"

"It's a seven-year program."

"Seven years..."

He really would be an old man before he saw Ahk again.

"Yeah, here's the thing though. I told them there's only one person qualified to make sure Ahk is safe. He's a priceless treasure and all, you know?"

Yeah, Larry did know.

"Congrats Tilly, you'll have a blast." All those different museums coming to life, and a friend always there to share it with.

"No stupid, I already have a job. I told them because you stole the tablet before, you'd know best how to protect it."

That was actually really sweet of her.

"Nice try, Tilly. Thanks for the effort." But there was no way in hell the board of this museum was ever letting him near Ahk again.

"Technically it's a joint decision between the British Museum and the American Museum of Natural History, but since we hold two-thirds of the exhibition, we should get more of a say. But the American side argued that Ahk and the tablet are the main drawcard, so they should have the final say." Hopefully she was getting to a point soon. "Anyway, it turned out Dr McPhee had the final say and he signed off. I know you had that teaching thing going on, but the job is yours if you want it."

If he wanted it? If he wanted to spend seven years travelling the world with Ahk? New sights to see and cities to explore. And now that Nicky was grown up, there was nothing tying him to New York.

"Hell yes I want it!"

"I thought so," she laughed.

"Where are we going? What museums are scheduled?"

"Oh Larry, you're gonna love it..."

xxx

Larry was deliriously happy until he thought of Teddy and Sacagawea, and of Jed and Octavius. By leaving, he would be denying them each other. It wasn't like he'd made the call to go, but it still took a little of the shine off.

He decided to talk to Teddy first. He knew Teddy would take it best and offer him advice for the others.

"Hey Teddy."

"Lawrence!" Teddy beamed, pleased to see him as always.

"I need to talk to you."

"Oh dear. What catastrophe are we facing this time?"

"It's nothing like that," Larry assured. "Tilly called. She had some news..."

He wasn't sure how to say this. Being happy about it felt selfish.

"The spit it out, man. Face the consequences!"

"Right," Larry nodded. "They're sending Ahk away on a world tour."

Teddy's expression softened, he was a good friend.

"Oh. I imagine you'll be very sorry to see him go."

"That's the thing, I'm going too. They've given me the security job."

"But this is wonderful, Lawrence!" Teddy exclaimed, clapping a hand to his shoulder. "Cheer up!"

"Really? You know we'll be taking the tablet."

"Naturally. Don't fret about us. We all had many years of freedom whilst Ahkmenrah lay trapped. And for you both to share this opportunity, it's marvellous. Don't let the fate of us wax and polyurethane people dampen your spirits. Every day we've had has been a gift. You owe us nothing."

"I know," Larry agreed. "That you're happy for us I mean." Because in regard to owing them, he could never repay the debt.

"Enjoy it, Lawrence. I insist."

He wanted to, really wanted to. Teddy was right, it was an amazing opportunity, and with Teddy's approval, he felt the excitement building again.

"Now," Teddy said. "Let me talk to the others, you go share the happy news."

Like always, the former president knew exactly what he needed.

"Thanks, Teddy," he smiled. "I will."

xxx

When he reached Ahk's exhibit, Larry took a moment, settling against the door frame. The Egyptian was lost in thought, running his fingers over the inscriptions on the walls of his tomb, thinking of home no doubt. Dressed in his traditional robes he was a sight, and Larry just watched appreciatively for a moment, hardly able to believe how lucky he was. There had been times in his life, a lot of times actually, when he felt lost and uncertain, but he finally felt like all that was behind him now.

Ahk turned and spotted him, a bright smile lighting up his face as usual.

"How long have you been standing there?" Ahk wondered, walking over to greet him. They shared a kiss.

"Just long enough to enjoy the view..."

Ahk gave him a quizzical look.

"You're in a good mood."

"Yeah, I've got some news."

"Good news?"

"Very good news," Larry agreed, slipping his arms around Ahk's waist to hold him close.

"Then do tell..."

"You're on the move."

"The exhibition is leaving New York?"

"Yeah. A world tour."

Ahk's smile wilted, and Larry knew what he was thinking so he hurried on. "And guess who's in charge of security?"

Ahk's eyes filled with hope.

"It can't be..."

"Yeah, it can. We're gonna see the world. You and me. Together."

Larry tried to kiss Ahk again, but the pharaoh held him back.

"What about your teaching?"

It struck Larry as a weird question, nothing mattered now but this opportunity. It was the kind of thing people dreamed about their whole lives, love and adventure, but never actually happened. Except it was happening, to him, and there was no way he wasn't going to embrace it.

"Guess I slept instead of going to my exams. Something's been keeping me up at night."

"You failed because of me?"

"No," Larry said, lifting a hand to cup Ahk's face, looking into his eyes, needing him to really hear this. "I came back to life because of you."

"You were going to share our stories with the young people of New York."

"And now I'll share them with the world. I want this, Ahk. And more than anything, I want you. It's our dream come true."

Ahk didn't look entirely convinced, something was still holding him back.

"What about everyone else? We'll be taking the tablet..."

"I talked to them, they're okay. You know where the last stop is?"

Ahk shook his head.

"Cairo."

His eyes grew wide with wonder.

"You mean I can go home?"

"Yeah Ahk, you're going home."

His eyes became glassy and then he was clinging to Larry, squeezing him tight.

"I can't wait to show you."

"And I can't wait to see it, and until then we've got a whole world to explore."

"I love you," Ahk declared. "So very much."

"I love you too, Ahk. I promise you it's gonna be great."


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: This is the chapter I'm supposed to be posting on Monday, but I will be on holidays then, so I thought I'd post it early. Enjoy :)**

Eventually, the night came when they had to say goodbye. They had a party, with music supplied by Nicky, and the constellations came out to play.

"I'm happy for you, Dad," Nicky told him, as light and music and life swirled around them. "I know how much you missed all this."

"Thanks Nicky." It meant a lot that his son had made the effort to be here tonight, and that he accepted Larry's choices. All of them.

"It'll be great, we can catch up in all sorts of exotic locations."

"I'd like that," Larry admitted.

The moment with his son was interrupted by a grinning Egyptian pharaoh.

"Dance with me, Larry," Ahk demanded, grabbing his hand.

"Um, dancing isn't really my thing."

"Don't be absurd," Ahk laughed, attempting to pull him onto the dance floor. "There must be some music you like."

Larry looked at his son, he didn't know if they were done talking yet.

"Go on," Nicky encouraged. "I'll put on something slow."

"Thank you, Nicky," Ahk said, sounding very pleased with himself.

"Fine," Larry sighed, following Ahk into the crowd of their friends.

The music changed, and Ahk closed the space between them, arms looped around Larry's neck. Larry dropped his hands to Ahk's waist, and they moved to the slow melody.

"See?" Ahk smiled. "It's not so bad."

"Guess not," Larry allowed, too in love to feel very self-conscious.

Around them were other couples, Teddy and Sacagawea, Laaa and Tilly, Jed and Octavius. Those two were up on the counter so they didn't accidentally get stepped on. Others were in groups, Attila and Lancelot and Dr McPhee, everyone had goodbyes to say.

As the night wore on, things got quieter, and Larry knew he couldn't avoid saying his farewells any longer.

He threw a rib bone for Rexy and let Dex slap him once for old times sake, but the monkey didn't put much force into it, and just kind of ended up resting his little monkey paw on Larry's cheek.

"I love you too, buddy," he told the capuchin.

It was particularly hard to say goodbye to Jed and Octavius, because he knew how they felt and what they were losing.

"So," Larry said, sitting them down in the Hall of Miniatures. "I guess this is it."

"We'll see you again, Gigantor. You know you can't stay away."

"You're right," Larry agreed. "This place is home."

"Enjoy every minute of it, Larry," Octavius offered before turning to gaze at Jed. "You can never have enough time with the one you love."

Jed gave him a sad smile. They had accepted their fate, but that didn't mean they had to like it.

He left them to it to go find Teddy, wanting to give them a little time to bid each other goodbye.

Teddy was saying goodbye to Sacagawea, their hands pressed together on opposite sides of the glass. Larry gave her a wave and a smile, and then he walked with Teddy back to his podium.

"Last time we said goodbye, I had no idea what I was gonna do," Larry reminisced. "This time, I think I'm all set." He looked over to where Ahk was saying goodbye to Lancelot. Ahk knew him better than Larry did, they had spent three years together in London. Larry had to smile when Ahk pulled the reluctant knight into a hug.

"You're good for each other," Teddy observed. "Loneliness is a bitter thing."

"Thanks for everything, Teddy."

"You're very welcome, Lawrence."

It was getting close to dawn when Larry and Ahk headed upstairs.

"Well, this is it," Larry said, a ball of nervous excitement. The next time he spoke to Ahk they would be on the other side of the country.

"Don't forget my backpack," Ahk instructed.

"As if I could, you take it everywhere we go. What's in it that's so important anyway?"

Ahk gave him a little smile.

"Nothing. It was a gift from you."

"Oh..." Larry said, but he couldn't help smiling too. It was adorably sweet. "Okay then, I'll make sure to bring it."

Ahk gave him a kiss.

"Thank you."

Larry knew it was time to say goodbye, and that it was only for a little while, but he didn't wanna let go just yet.

"Next time I see you we'll be in LA..."

"Exciting, isn't it?"

"I hope the exhibits there are okay."

"I'm sure they will be. Besides, how much time do you think we'll spend in the museum? There's so much exploring to do."

"I guess," Larry allowed, smiling again, so happy at the thought of embarking on this adventure with Ahk.

Larry gave Ahk one last kiss before the pharaoh climbed into his sarcophagus.

"See you on the other side," Ahk told him.

"I'll be waiting."

xxx

"What are we doing?" Octavius hissed. "The sun will be rising soon."

"Shh," Jed told him as they snuck by the jackal-headed guards, he didn't have time for explanations.

The fact that Octavius followed despite his trepidation was something to be grateful for.

Ahk and Gigantor were saying a schmoopy goodbye, too preoccupied with each other to notice a couple of miniatures sneaking around their feet.

"Come on!" Jed whispered, grabbing Octavius' arm and yanking him into a brown backpack.

"What are we-"

"Shh," Jed said, clapping his hand over Octavius' mouth. "You want us to get sprung?"

"Mat moesn't manswer my mestion..." Octavius mumbled behind Jed's hand. Jed pulled it away and fixed the soldier with a serious look.

"It's your fault," he said, whispering the accusation.

"How am I to blame?" Octavius wanted to know.

"Cause I can't stand the thought of waiting seven years to do this again."

Then he pulled Octavius in for a proper smooching.

"Well," Octavius said, satisfyingly dazed. "I suppose when you put it like that..."


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: Here it is, the last chapter. Like I said before this fic was just a little something I needed to write for myself, something sweet and uncomplicated, but I'm glad others have enjoyed it. Thanks to those who've stuck with it until the end. I appreciate your support. **

Larry turned the final piece of the tablet and watched it glow to life. Even though it had only been a couple of days, he missed Ahk like crazy.

He slid the lid off Ahk's sarcophagus and helped him out into the new museum.

"We made it," Ahk grinned, pulling Larry into a hug.

"Holy smoke! We did!"

Wait a minute, Larry knew that voice...

"Jed?"

"Yeah. Get us outta here, Gigantor!"

Larry shared a surprised look with Ahk before opening the pack to find Jed and Octavius looking up at him. He reached in and lifted them out onto the lid of Ahk's sarcophagus.

"What are you two doing?"

"What?" Jed said, hands on hips. "You think you two got the monopoly on this whole love caper?"

His indignant tone couldn't hide the sweetness of the statement.

Octavius slid an arm around his partner and looked up at Larry.

"Forgive us," he said. "It's the bubble, you know?"

Larry wanted to argue, tell Octavius that wasn't quite the concept, but all he could do was laugh. He got it, wanting to spend as much time as you could with the person you loved.

"Alright. Try not to cause too much trouble, you guys," he advised, setting them down to start exploring. "I think there's a transportation gallery down that way."

They grinned at each other and headed off in search of a new set of wheels, or maybe some wings.

"I'm glad they're here," Ahk said, smiling after them.

"Me too," Larry agreed, things were never dull with Jed and Octavius around.

There were also two other sarcophagi in the exhibition. Larry hadn't thought much about that, he'd been too focused on Ahk and all the adventures they were going to have, but the prospect was very real now.

Ahk looked fondly at his parents' coffins.

"It will be good to see them again," he said, as they opened first his mother's resting place, and then his father's.

Truthfully, Larry was a little nervous about seeing Ahk's parents again, now that he was dating their son, but Ahk didn't seem to think it would be a problem.

Emerging from their resting places, they both looked around a little confused.

"Where are we?" Merenkahre asked.

"Los Angeles, father. America."

"But why?" his mother questioned.

"A travelling exhibition," Ahk explained. "Seven years visiting cities all over the world."

"As a family?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes," Ahk smiled, wrapping his mother up in a hug. Larry thought she might be the same as him, it didn't really matter where they were as long as Ahk was there too.

Ahk stepped back and turned to include him.

"Mother, father, you both remember Larry?"

"Uh, hi," he offered. Last time he'd seen them they had been friendly enough, but there were also concepts they hadn't understood, like the wrongness of keeping Jewish slaves for instance.

"Yes, of course," Shepseheret smiled. "Larry, Guardian of Brooklyn. Ahkmenrah told us all about what you did for him."

"Oh well, yeah..." Larry fumbled, while Ahk smiled adoringly at him, in no way trying to conceal the nature of their relationship.

"You've done our family another service," Ahk's father stated. "Reunited us once again."

"He is the best of men, father," Ahk praised. "Larry and I share a bed, mother."

Larry tried not to cringe, it was very direct, and he knew what that meant to an ancient Egyptian.

He waited for the backlash, the shock or the objection, but it didn't come. Maybe he should have known, no parents had ever adored or indulged their child more than Ahk's did.

"My baby is married," Ahk's mother cooed, cupping Ahk's face in her hands.

"And quite in love," Ahk added proudly.

Larry didn't argue with the marriage statement, mostly because Ahk didn't, and if all those vows in a marriage ceremony meant anything, well he planned on living by them already, so what did a label matter?

While Ahk and his mother chatted, Merenkahre pulled Larry aside.

"Larry, you know how much we love our son, and Ahkmenrah can certainly have anything he wants, but take heed..." Here the king clapped a hand to his shoulder so hard it stung, smiling an unnerving smile at him all the while. It was meant to be intimidating, and it was. This man had come from a time when punishments were swift, brutal and final. "Hurt him, wrong him in any way, and remember when we talked about mummification?"

Larry gulped and nodded.

"I'll make sure that process happens before you're dead. Welcome to the family, Larry!"

xxx

For the past week they'd been getting to know the other exhibits, trying to keep Jed and Octavius out of trouble, and he'd been filling his parents in on all that had happened since he left London. Mostly that consisted of how happy being with Larry made him.

Ahkmenrah kissed his mother, said goodbye to his father, then he and Larry headed out into the night. He slipped his hand into Larry's, leaning into him a little. He had missed their alone time.

"What shall we do?" he asked cheerfully. This museum was a little further from the city than in New York, so Larry had purchased a vehicle. Never mind where they decided to go, having this kind of freedom was adventure enough for now, but it hadn't escaped his notice that Larry had been a little standoffish and quiet, and he remained so as they climbed into the car.

In a way, the question was an irrelevant one, he didn't really mind what they did as long as he was with Larry. Trying to coax him into conversation was more the goal, he didn't want any barrier to lie between them. He did have an idea about what had brought this on. It wouldn't be the first time.

In the surprisingly intimate atmosphere of the vehicle's interior, he reached across gave Larry's hand a squeeze.

"What did my father say to you?"

"Nothing," Larry attempted to avoid, but Ahkmenrah knew his father and how protective he could be.

"It was the 'I'll mummify you alive' speech, wasn't it?"

The look in Larry's eyes told him that he'd guessed correctly.

"He only did it once that I can recall. Decided it was too messy with all the thrashing about."

Larry paled.

"Too much?"

Larry nodded. Ahkmenrah lifted Larry's hand to his lips and kissed it.

"He would never hurt anyone I love, I promise you."

Maybe it was the word love directed at him that got Larry to relax a little.

"How many times did he have to give that speech?" Larry wondered.

"I'm a pharaoh, Larry. There were suitors."

Larry didn't look pleased, it was kind of sweet that he was jealous of people who had been dead for four thousand years.

"I assure you not one of them sparked my interest."

Larry smiled then, finally realising how silly he was being.

"Now," Ahkmenrah said, pleased with the result. "Have you decided?"

"I thought we could just drive around a bit, see what we find."

"Perfect."

They travelled the streets much quicker than they would've been able to on foot, passing by unfamiliar buildings, city lights shining in on them, and as they turned onto La Brea Avenue, bright displays of fashionable clothing stores flashed by. They looked glorious.

"Larry!" he shouted. "Stop!"

"What?!"

"Look!" Ahkmenrah exclaimed, pressing his hands and face against the glass. He needed time to admire the garments, maybe even try some things on.

Larry saw what he was talking about and laughed. It was a relieved sound, and a happy one. Ahkmenrah turned and was met by an unbridled smile, just for him.

"Okay," Larry agreed. "I'll find a parking space in downtown LA for you."

"Thank you," Ahkmenrah offered as the vehicle slowed.

"If you understood traffic, you'd realise just how much this means I love you."

He looked over at Larry who was concentrating on the road ahead, Larry who had uprooted his whole life so they could be together. The immensity of what he felt for this man was indescribable. He had never met anyone more willing to do whatever he needed to for those he cared about. He reached out and laid a hand on Larry's arm.

"I think that point has already been proven."

**AN: Well, there it is. This last chapter was a battle, I dunno if it's quite ready, but I said I'd post each Monday, and Monday it is. Thanks so much to everyone for reading :)**


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